Enterprises

The Vietnam tourism industry has been contributing to local economic restructuring and exportation; preserving and promoting cultural and natural heritage values; creating more jobs and improving people's lives; speeding up international integration and popularising the country and people. Vietnam Business Forum has an exclusive interview with Mr Tran Hung Viet, General Director of Saigontourist Holding Company. Van Luong reports.

With humanity-rich business operations, what Saigontourist has contributed to the cause of socioeconomic development is noteworthy and praiseworthy. Could you please introduce the core values leading to your success? Saigontourist, founded in August 1975, currently operates more than 100 hotels, resorts, restaurants, travel companies and amusement centres across the country. After 42 years of construction and development, Saigontourist has affirmed its leadership in the tourism industry in Vietnam, and contributed significantly to tourism development of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam. Saigontourist annually serves millions of customers, earns more than VND19 trillion of revenue and VND4,550 billion of profit, and pays more than VND3,500 billion to the State Budget.

Saigontourist’s core values are “Prestige of a leading tourism and hotel brand in Vietnam and the region; a long-standing cultural foundation imbued with national identity; diverse, standard and exclusive product and service system; and hospitality and professionalism, responsibility, dedication to satisfying diverse, high-grade needs of customers.”

In our operation, we are steadfast to our vision, mission and core values. But, we will also be flexible with actual market developments and our changes in corporate restructuring process. The business philosophy of Saigontourist is, in addition to creating profit for owner / company, it also aims to benefit employees, customers, and the community. And, our business motto is fair competition for all economic sectors.

Based on the outstanding successes, what are Saigontourist’s objectives and directions in the coming time?During the 2017 - 2020 period, Saigontourist will focus on carrying out three strategic stages “Technology - Brand - Sustainability” to affirm its leading position in the tourism industry, one of famous brands in the region in such fields as accommodation, food and drink, travel and entertainment, and help turn tourism into a leading economic sector of Ho Chi Minh City and the country. Saigontourist will develop towards integration, sustainability and efficiency in association with community interests.Saigontourist will make every effort to surpass the business targets set for 2020: Gross revenue of VND32 trillion, up 12 per cent on average, gross profit of VND8 trillion, up over 10 per cent, and tax payment of VND4,400 billion, up over 10 per cent.

With profound experience and insight about the tourism industry of Vietnam, what do you think about the current tourism industry?Vietnam is an attractive destination to domestic and foreign tourists. Compared with other ASEAN countries, its tourism advantages are huge. The tourism industry of Vietnam has achieved important results and contributions to the national socioeconomic development, employment, people’s livelihood improvement, and global promotion of Vietnamese country and people. Tourism is the drive of development for many other economic sectors.

Given the importance of tourism, on January 16, 2017, the Politburo issued Resolution 08 on developing tourism into a key economic sector. In this resolution, the Politburo also clearly pointed out potential, advantages, disadvantages, weaknesses and causes and directed comprehensive tasks and solutions to the whole sector. I personally think that Resolution 08 is a key facilitator for tourism development in Vietnam in the future.

What we are concerned most about in our country’s tourism development is increasing its competitive advantages over other countries in the region. More than ever, our tourism industry needs a shift, both in thinking and action, with the goal of increasing international competition, not just competition among businesses, among provinces and cities across the nation, and among regions. By 2020, the Vietnamese tourism industry will affirm its pivotal position in comprehensive integrating economy of the ASEAN Economic Community, have ASEAN standard tourism quality, reach Top 4 ASEAN country by tourism competition and development index, and after 2020 climb to Top 3 ASEAN.